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G7 countries have increased military spending to record levels while slashing humanitarian aid to help people affected by war, Islamic Relief says as G7 leaders meet in Italy for their 50th annual summit (13-15 June).
Military expenditure by G7 nations surged to $1.2 trillion last year, an increase of 7.3% on the year before1 and 62 times what they spent on all humanitarian aid responding to wars and disasters.
Meanwhile G7 contributions to humanitarian aid appeals for the biggest global crises dropped from $27.5 billion in 2022 to $20.1 billion last year2 – a 27% cut and just 1.6% of what was spent on military last year.
With conflict, security and immigration high on this week’s G7 Summit agenda, Islamic Relief is calling on the bloc to invest more in helping people whose lives have been destroyed and uprooted by war. The summit comes as the killing and displacement of civilians in places such as Gaza and Sudan continues unabated, and the number of conflict-related deaths has reached the highest level in three decades3.
Islamic Relief is also calling for G7 nations – and other governments – to end arms sales to states where there are serious risks of international law being violated, such as Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Shahin Ashraf, Islamic Relief’s head of global advocacy, says: “From Gaza to Sudan, Ukraine to Myanmar we see millions of lives destroyed by war. The humanitarian needs today are greater than ever before, so it’s scandalous that many wealthy G7 nations are cutting aid while spending more than ever before on weapons. Too many governments are putting far more resources towards acquiring weapons of war than helping those suffering the deadly impacts of conflict. More must be invested in eradicating poverty and fostering peace and development, not fuelling war and destruction.”
The trend in G7 countries increasing military spending while cutting humanitarian aid is mirrored by other governments, with global military expenditure increasing to $2.44 trillion last year – a rise of 6.8% from the year before – according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
While some of the discussions at the G7 summit focus on restricting immigration into rich developed nations, most people displaced by conflict remain in war-torn countries and impoverished neighbouring countries. After more than a year of brutal war, Sudan is now the world’s biggest displacement crisis with over 10 million people – about a quarter of the population – now forced from their homes. The vast majority of people fleeing the violence in Sudan remain in the country, with many receiving aid from local communities, youth groups and mosques.
Shahin Ashraf says: “As rich nations increasingly shut their borders and cut aid, in places like Sudan it is heartening to see the generosity of some of the world’s poorest communities taking displaced people into their homes and sharing their food and water with them. But they need more international support, especially from the wealthiest countries.”
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Notes
1 Based on Islamic Relief analysis of data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
2 Based on Islamic Relief analysis of data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
3 New research by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (Prio) shows that deaths, including those of civilians, from civil conflicts and battles worldwide between 2021-2023 rose to the highest levels in 30 years.
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